Chicago Accident Lawyer Blog

April 28, 2013

Nursing Home Problems In Chicago And Suburbs

The attorneys of Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C. recognize that a lot has changed since the 1961 establishment of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and the subsequent initiation of Medicare in 1965. Continuing acknowledgement of the rising population of individuals over the age of 65, subsequently led to policy reform under the Reagan administration with the 1987 enactment of the Nursing Home Reform Act (NHRA). Although there has been some policy reform affecting standards of nursing home care since the NHRA, many argue that only minimal improvement has occurred. Our nursing home liability attorneys understand that significant policy reform addressing matters concerning our nation’s elders should occur more than every couple of decades.

As reported by the Illinois Times, “A Chicago Tribune investigative series stretching from 2009 to 2011 uncovered several problems in nursing homes in Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Problems included rapes, beating deaths, unnecessary dispensing of drugs, corruption, theft, and a state practice of housing mentally-ill patients in nursing homes instead of mental hospitals.” In response to this investigation, Illinois Governor placed into action a Nursing Home Safety Task Force, aimed at addressing continuing problems of abuse and neglect affecting Illinois nursing homes. This Task Force provided recommendations which assisted in reform of the outdated Nursing Home Reform Act, which until such recent amendments, arguably reflected only minimal improvement since its 1979 enactment. Our team of nursing home injury attorneys feel that modifications in Illinois regulations concerning nursing homes was certainly well overdue.

With such a profound increase in our nation’s elderly population, our nursing home attorneys are concerned over the manner in which these individuals are being cared for. According to a 2010 study, Illinois ranks the fifth highest in our nation’s population of elderly residing in nursing home facilities. Based upon the same survey data, provided by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it was determined that in 2010, 95.4% of nursing home facilities presented evidence of deficiencies, is a term “given to nursing facilities for problems which can result in a negative impact on the health and safety of residents. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services define “actual harm” as a “deficiency that results in a negative outcome that has negatively affected the resident’s ability to achieve the individual’s highest functional status. “Immediate jeopardy” is defined as a deficiency that “has caused (or is likely to cause) serious injury, harm, impairment, or death to a resident receiving care in the nursing home.” For more information providing nursing home data for Illinois, and other states, please visit http://www.statehealthfacts.org/compare.jsp.

March 27, 2013

Out-of-Service Order Issued to Trucking Company by DOT after Six Die in Trucking Accident

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

The Chicago trucking accident attorneys of Zneimer &Zneimer, P.C. take note that accidents involving massive equipment such as heavy trucks and tractor trailers have become a commonplace. Increasingly, such accidents are found to be the result of a truck driver’s violation of federal regulation concerning, as was the case in the accident discussed herein.

On March 21, 2013, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), pursuant to the Federal Regulations, and through the delegation of authority provided to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), issued an “Imminent Hazard Operations Out-Of-Service Order” to Highway Star, Inc. commanding that all operations cease immediately.

The Chicago trucking accident attorneys of Zneimer &Zneimer, P.C. take note that accidents involving massive equipment such as heavy trucks and tractor trailers have become a commonplace. Increasingly, such accidents are found to be the result of a truck driver’s violation of federal regulation concerning, as was the case in the accident discussed herein.

February 11, 2013

Car Accident Sends Three People to Area Hospitals

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

The Chicago car accident lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer became aware that three people were injured early Saturday in an accident that involved a car and two taxicabs at a busy intersection in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.

The accident occurred two hours after midnight when a Ford Crown Victoria taxicab, which was going southbound on Halsted Avenue, intending to make a left turn onto Fullerton Avenue. As it was making the left turn, a Subaru that as westbound on Fullerton Avenue hit the taxicab, veering it off and striking a Toyota Camry taxicab, which was behind the Ford and was waiting to make a left rurn as well. .

The Ford taxicab had two passengers, a 23-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, who were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago with non-life threatening injuries. The Subaru driver, a 22-year-old man, was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical in a sable condition. The driver of the Ford taxicab was cited for failure to yield while making a left turn.

February 9, 2013

48 Chicago Pedestrians Killed in 2012

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Chicago pedestrian accident attorneys of Zneimer & Zneimer p.c. read in the Sun-Times that pedestrian deaths due to pedestrian accidents with cars have risen from 2012 to 48. There were 35 pedestrian deaths in 2011, 30 in 2010 and 31 in 2009.

A city of Chicago study found that 80 percent of vehicle-pedestrian accidents occur at intersections and mostly involve pedestrians walking in the cross walk. The study also shows the number one cause of pedestrians being hit by cars is drivers failing to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians. Drivers in Illinois are required by law to come to a complete stop when a pedestrian is in a crosswalk. (625 ILCS 5/11-1002)

Distracted drivers has been suggested as a possible culprit in the up-tick in pedestrian deaths. Both drivers and pedestrians are texting, on the cell phone or listening to music on their phone or I-Pod and are not paying attention to road hazards. Chicago injury lawyers, Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.have handled cases where the defendant who caused the injury to the plaintiff was on a cell phone or was yelling at children in the car and was distracted when the accident occurred.

February 5, 2013

The City of Chicago is Liable to the Estate of a Domestic Violence Victim

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers report that the City of Chicago is liable for the wrongful death of a victim of domestic violence for failure to arrest the assailant despite several 911 calls, the Illinois Appellate Court decided on January 17, 2013.

Henry Fenton was murdered by his girlfriend’s son, Rovale Brim, following a violent argument between Fenton, his girlfriend, and her son. The facts recited by the appellate court reveal that on March 4, 2002, Fenton called 911 at 1:37 am, alerting the emergency operator that his girlfriend’s son was arguing in loud and boisterous fashion and was violent. The operator dispatched police officers who were confronted with an “angry, drunken, and boisterous Rovale” who was yelling at his mother, and was making violent movements with a bottle in his hands. The officers separated the individuals, and escorted Rovale to his basement bedroom where he lived. They did not arrest Rovale at this time.

Fenton dialed the emergency 911 line for a second time at 2:30 am, and when the officers arrived at the home, they saw a similar situation as was developing earlier. At that time Rovale’s mother asked that he be removed from the residence. The officers allowed drunken Rovale to leave the residence, and wait outside in a zero degree temperature, for a girlfriend to pick him up. The officers left, while Rovale was waiting outside about a block from the home of his mother and Fenton.

February 4, 2013

Illinois Agency That Investigates Doctors Cuts Staff

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

The Chicago personal injury attorneys from Zneimer & Zneimer p.c. saw in the Chicago Tribune that the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the agency that investigates complaints about doctors announced that it will be eliminating 18 of 26 positions in the medical unit. The cutbacks will drastically hinder the ability of the agency to investigate complaints regarding doctor misconduct.

The remaining eight positions will most likely consist of three lawyers, two or three investigators and one licensing position.

Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director of Public Citizen’s Research Group voiced his concern, stating: “They are greatly reducing their ability to investigate and properly police doctors.” He further stated: “This is a major threat to the health and safety of the people of Illinois.”

February 4, 2013

Medical Condition A Contributing Factor In Chicagoland Bus Crash

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Chicago bus accident attorneys read in the

January 31, 2013

Proposal Would Require Electric Cars To Make Sound

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys read proposed standards of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for electric and hybrid vehicles to make noise. These vehicles are much quieter at low speeds than traditional gas or diesel powered vehicles making them harder to detect by pedestrians and bike riders.

NHTSA Administrator David Strickland stated: “Our proposal would allow manufactures the flexibility to design different sounds for different makes and models while still providing an opportunity for pedestrians, bicyclists and the visually impaired to detect and recognize a vehicle and make a decision about whether it is safe to cross the street.”

The NHTSA proposal would require electric vehicles traveling under 18 miles per hour to make sufficient noise so that pedestrians and bicyclists could detect them even when factoring in street noise and background noise. Each make and model would be required to emit the same sound.

January 27, 2013

Truck Accident In Alsip, Illinois Injuries Two

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

The Chicago truck accident lawyers at Zneimer & Zneimer p.c. report that two people were critically injured in Alsip, Illinois on Saturday, January 12 when a passenger car rear-ended a semi truck. The crash happened at 6 a.m. when the Ford Taurus of one of the victims became stuck under the semi truck . The driver of the Taurus and his passenger had to be extricated from their car and were by emergency personnel and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and were listed in critical condition.

According to the truck driver who was from McAllen, Texas, the truck driver had just begun a left turn when he felt something strike his trailer.

The Illinois Department of Transportation reminds drivers to be extra careful around trucks and to be aware that trucks have blind spots. The IDOT urges drivers to remember:

January 12, 2013

Chicago Pedestrian Hit In Crosswalk; Critically Injured

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Our Chicago pedestrian injury lawyers learned that a Chicago man was critically injured Saturday morning when he was struck in a pedestrian accident, while attempting 95th Street at 95th and Jeffery Boulevard on the South Side. The victim was crossing in the crosswalk when he was struck, according to the police. The man who struck the pedestrian with his vehicle stayed on the scene until the police came. The pedestrian was listed in critical condition and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

A city of Chicago study found that 80 percent of vehicle-pedestrian crashes happen at intersections and involve pedestrians walking in a crosswalk. The CDOT study also found that the number one cause of pedestrians being hit by a motor vehicle is the motor vehicle fails to yield the right of way. There are over 3,000 vehicle pedestrian crashes a year in Illinois. Illinois law states that a motorist must stop, not just yield for any pedestrian who has already entered the crosswalk. Anyone living in Chicago knows that motorist rarely stop or yield for pedestrians in a crosswalk.

The Chicago law firm of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. litigates many cases of pedestrians getting hit by motor vehicles while crossing in the crosswalk. Many of these crashes cause serious injuries such as traumatic brain injury and broken bones. The Chicago personal injury law firm of Zneimer & Zneimer will work for you to make sure that the injured plaintiff recovers the maximum compensation for their injuries.